We carry here an edited version of the Presidential Address to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis 2007 by Gerry Adams Free article

Opening Sinn Féin's 2007 Ard Fheis in Dublin's RDS in Dublin on Friday evening, 2 March, Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin candidate for Foyle in the upcoming elections said that delegates and visitors were meeting in the midst of two elections which provided huge opportunities to take forward the republican struggle. Free article

Delivering the keynote address to the Friday evening session of the Ard Fheis, Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness MP said it was a time of great hope "A time when we have within our sights the prospect of Ian Paisley, who began with 'Never', moved to 'No', then 'Maybe' and now a possible, some say probable 'Yes' finally accepting his nationalist and republican neighbours as equals." Free article

Amanda Fullerton, daughter of assassinated Sinn Féin Councillor Eddie Fullerton, was given a hugely warm welcome at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis last weekend. Free article

Will Ian Paisley share power on 26 March? That was the question posed by Sinn Féin's Mitchel McLaughlin delivering the opening address of the debate around the Peace Process. Free article

The issue of workers' rights was to the fore at the 2007 Ard Fheis with delegates endorsing a new policy document on the issue. Introducing the document on behalf of the Ard Chomhairle Arthur Morgan TD, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Worker's Rights, said it had long been a priority area for the party. Free article

The all-Ireland agenda was the first debate of the Ard Fheis weekend and it was opened by Seán Oliver, head of the Sinn Féin All-Ireland Department. Oliver told the delegates that it was fitting for this section to kick off the conference, as it showed the party "building policies for the type of Ireland we want". Free article

The Health and Education section of this year's Ard Fheis was opened by Seán Crowe TD, Sinn Féin's 26 County spokesperson on education, whose address outlined the party policy that "education should be at the core of our society and equality must be at the core of our education. Although this state is one of the wealthiest in the world, our spending on education is one of the lowest, which is an absolute disgrace." Crowe condemned the Fianna Fáil/PD Government's failure to live up to its own commitments on class sizes and to reduce the teacher/pupil ratio to 1:15, as well as the current disgraceful situation where there are still many primary school children being taught in run-down prefabs and converted toilets. Free article

Seán Crowe TD opened the Ard Fheis debate on housing with an endorsement of the new policy document Housing is a Right. Crowe lambasted the Fianna Fáil/PD Government's non-strategic, laissez-faire approach at a time when buying a home is beyond the means of most. Free article

Le linn dhíospóireachtaí na hArdfheise, bhí rannóg ar leith den chlár dírithe ar cheist na Gaeilge agus athbheochan chultúr na nGael. Bhí trí rún ar an gClár ag plé le: a) athghaelú ar ghluaiseacht na poblachta; b) comhghairdeas a dhéanamh le 'An Droichead' a bhuaigh duais náisiúnta Ghlór na nGael do 2005; agus c) ag moladh do Shinn Féin tacú le feachtas náisiúnta ACHT atá ag iarradh ar Rialtas na Breataine Acht Gaeilge a chur i bhfeidhm sna Sé Chontae. Free article